Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-16
A DrsowNED PRINCE.
Dtd the rate Prince Imperial Leave
a Son?


8 81 ccial dispatch from London to
the New York World says The Paris
FGGro published yesterday q long arti
Gle concerning an alleged haison OF the
into Elince Imperial of France with
Young English woman. The story pro-
tossos to be the correct and substan-
t.aiod version of facts which have
hitherto been only circulated 90 rlmors.
according 10 the latter the Prince was
represented as having contracted se-
Crot marriage. the exact facts of which
lis family have been unable 10 clear up
since bis death. The Fgqr0 asserts that
Ec was never married, but he left a son.
The Truth OF the whole matter, accord
ing TO the FI90rO, is that while the
I-nce was living in England he one
day met a handsome young girl IN "A
railroad train, and made her acquaint-
auce in the way that such acquaint-
rnc,s are sometimes made, without,
icwcvcr, revealing his identity. The
acquaintance Immediately ripened into
"a warm attachment, and the two We're
together 81 great deal in London. At
tie time the Prince often visited Lon
don. and had rooms at Dm0nts, a
French hair-drcsser. Dumolt was
reported to be deeply attached to him,
and the room used by the Prince
remains TO this day just as he left it,
lie had great freedom there, enter
ta.nCd his friends rs he pleased, and the
inference is that he met his young Eng
iish wife there. One day when he and
She were walking along the streets she
,role OF the remarkable similarity be
tween his face and that shown III TN"
photographs Of the Prince Imperial
which were displayed everywhere in
the shop-windows. He blushed and
said he had been told that before.
When be was just ready to depart for
/ululand, where he subsequently lost
his life, he came near revealing
bis identity in the midst OF the
emotion by which he was over
whclmed, but he restrained himself
and only said he was going on long
Journey. When the news of the Princes
death reached England his picture was
exhibited more than ever, and the
yCrng girl he had left to mourn his in
applicable absence took one Of these
pictures to Dumont and asked him if
# was not picture of her absent lover
he had to confess it was. In the mean
time a son had been born, and this the
mother carried in her arms to Camden
House, Chiselhurst, where the eX-Em-
press Eugene lived. But she was
thrust out, no heed being given to her
story, and in her humiliation and dis
tress she embarked for Australia, where
she and her offspring now live.
! went III search of Dumont to-day
His shop is at No. 100 Regent street,
on the second floor, a quiet, cosy place,
where exclusive persons go to have Their
bairdrcssed There wasatcrra-cOtta sta
tuctte OF the Prince on the mantclpiecc,
representing him III the rigidity OF
death after he lad been pierced by the
assapais of the Zulus. A large portrait
of him hung on the wall and one OF
his father just above it. There were
other smaller portraits and mcmen-
toes Of the Prince about the
room. NJ. Dumont is pleasant
man Of about sixty-fye. He said il
was true that the Prince was at one
time in the habit of coming to his place.
There was little room upstairs, for
mGly occupied 10y another gentleman,
WEo used TO 90 to dress previous to 60
ing TO logecs and receptions. He would
come to have his hair dressed and then
retire to that room, which was always
at his disposal, but he did not sleep
there. Nor was it true that any
young woman had come to him
lDumonN with photograph OF
the Prince after his death and asked
him if il was not that of her lover. lie
had known Of a woman who wasin love
with the Prince, and who used to haunt
his residence at Chiselhurst, but he be-
lieved she was crazy and that the Prince
never had anything to do with her. He
said he had seen this woman repeatedly,
Lut that she was much older than the
Prince and that it was absurd to be
hcve that he should have had liaisOn
with her. Much interest has been
aroused in Paris over the publication OF
the F1garO's article, and it IS believed
there that this has at least basis OF
t1lth.